Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 263 Pursuit and Suppression
Deathly silence.

The original site of the large walled compound is now a huge, deep pit.

The group of people from Dongyuan Sect were present.

Earlier, when the formation collapsed and began to be destroyed, seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, including Song Yan and Li Yi, immediately took action to protect their fellow disciples behind them.

Although Xiang Zhaoling was only at the Qi Refining stage, she possessed quite a few treasures.

Worried about the safety of Zhou Mengdie, who was still half asleep beside him, he offered up a small toad stone statue.

A giant toad phantom, radiating a thick, earthy-yellow spiritual light, appeared out of thin air, enveloping her and the other female cultivators beside her.

Fortunately, the members of the Dongyuan Sect were spared from death.

Even so, the spiritual energy barrier was already teetering on the brink of collapse and its light had dimmed after the cataclysmic event.

After the landslide subsided, Song Yan and Li Yi both turned pale.

If they were at the core of the collapsing formation, they would likely not escape their fate.

However, the other cultivators who were originally in the Great Enclosure Building were not so lucky.

Song Yan looked around, his expression extremely solemn.

As the light from the collapsing formation dissipated, only a dim afterglow remained in the valley, casting its glow on the bottom of the pit.

The mountain wind blew, stirring up ashes from the ground.

At the edge of the giant crater, the cultivators from various sects who had miraculously survived struggled, groaned, and coughed.

They either looked around blankly or stood there in a daze.

The Buddhist monks at Huadu Temple closed their eyes in anguish and sat cross-legged on the spot, whether they were recovering from their injuries or performing a ritual to help the departed souls pass on, it was unclear.

All the Yang family members near the center of the enclosed building—elders and young disciples—died the instant the formation was destroyed.

None of them survived.

“Yuerong…” Gu Qingqing stared blankly at the ruins in the deep pit, finding it hard to accept.

On Dragon Pool Mountain, countless cultivators died instantly under this power.

Only those cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, who have five or six Foundation Establishment stage cultivators working together to protect them, or who possess special defensive treasures, can save their lives.

Xiao Ju's expression was complicated. Those unfamiliar rogue cultivators who had been chatting with them amicably not long ago had mostly turned to ashes.

Longtan Mountain and Daji Lake no longer exist.

Chaos reigned within Wangling Immortal Valley.

"Meditation and breath regulation."

Xu Ziqing suddenly spoke up.

He and the other four Foundation Establishment disciples had solid spiritual power cultivation, and these Qi Refining disciples were also well protected.

On the contrary, Song Yan and Li Yi, the two newly established Foundation Establishment cultivators, expended a great deal of energy.

Now was not the time to show off, so the two immediately sat cross-legged and, with the help of their senior brothers and sisters, quickly recovered.

Two hands, one on the left and one on the right, were placed on Song Yan's back.

Two streams of pure spiritual energy gently flowed into his body, as Song Zhenzong and Yu Nanxi helped him recover.

Song Yan quickly thanked her, "Thank you, senior brother and sister."

Emperor Zhenzong of Song, with a thin face, shook his head: "What's the big deal?"

"Hehe, junior brother, you must remember my kindness. When you become an immortal or ancestor in the future, don't forget me."

Yu Nancy chuckled.

"Uh... yes."

Qin Ying and Wang Renming were helping Li Yi recover his strength.

Suddenly, Song Yan's heart stirred, and a golden light appeared in his eyes as he looked into the distance.

At the edge of the ruins, Yang Kaijun was walking towards a familiar figure, who was none other than Ke Huai.

At this moment, amidst the tragic scene of the complete annihilation of all Yang family members present, Yang Kaijun was actually chatting and laughing with Ke Huai.

His brows furrowed slightly.

Is this Yang Kaijun colluding with demonic cultivators, or...?

He has already died in the Great Qi Mountain.

far away.

"Haa... there's nothing more for us to do here, let's go."

Ke Huai yawned and patted Yang Kaijun on the shoulder.

"Although the Hu family are a bunch of idiots, I should still help them out since I promised."

"Is there enough time?" Yang Kaijun looked up and glanced at the battle of the Golden Core cultivators in the sky. "It feels like we're about to leave."

"It's not too late, it's not too late." Ke Huai waved his hand: "The Yang family doesn't have much fighting power left alive."

"Let's kill them all quickly."

"I'm a very honest person. If I don't do what I promised someone, I feel bad... I'm not clear-headed, you understand?"

"Row."

Yang Kaijun nodded: "Now that we have the Nuo mask, it would be good to wipe out the Yang family completely."

Ke Huai asked, "Where is the Hu family?"

"We don't need to worry about them," Yang Kaijun replied. "They'll be dealt with when they're found to have ties to demonic cultivators."

"Let's go."

……

In the brief exchange above the clouds, the four Golden Core cultivators had already gained a clear understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses.

Chen Ya and Li Luo were initially worried that the fight would affect the safety of their own disciples inside the Great Enclosure Building, and they were somewhat hesitant to act.

Seeing the formation collapse and the large building destroyed, they no longer cared about anything else.

However, at that moment, the two demonic cultivators suddenly sensed something and exchanged a glance.

“Three auras of Golden Core cultivators are approaching, one of which is a Buddhist cultivator.”

The thin Taoist priest said in a deep voice.

"There is no Chen Linyuan among them."

The fat Taoist priest frowned slightly: "What a pity."

The purpose of the Demon Ruins' trip was naturally to pave the way for their actual invasion later.

This served both to confuse the cultivators of the Central Region and to test Chen Linyuan, the sect leader of the Dongyuan Sect.

This was once a sword prodigy of Junshan in the Central Region, an invincible Nascent Soul cultivator among his peers.

I heard that due to the changes in his inner demons, his cultivation level continued to decline, and he eventually left Junshan.

This person hates evil as if it were their enemy and is extremely arrogant.

Despite their grand display, Chen Linyuan has yet to show himself, likely because he is terrified by his inner demons and dares not make a move against the demonic cultivators.

"Let's go, there's no point in continuing this entanglement."

The two demonic cultivators were cunning and cautious by nature, prioritizing the preservation of their own strength and the completion of the mission in the Demon Ruins.

Seeing that strong reinforcements were about to arrive, he immediately had the idea of ​​retreating.

If the fighting continues, even if they manage to severely injure Chen and Li, they will inevitably pay a heavy price, and there is even the danger of being surrounded and killed by those who come after them.

From the southwest, faint chanting of Buddhist scriptures could be heard, and golden light filled the sky.

The two Taoist priests, one fat and one thin, changed their expressions drastically and dared not linger in the fight any longer.

The two let out a fierce roar at the same time, and their bodies erupted with fierce demonic energy. The ghost skull and the turbid waves of the Yellow Spring suddenly converged into one place and exploded instantly.

boom--!
This sudden and terrifying force not only dispersed Chen Ya's palm print and Li Luo's sword rainbow, but also forced the two of them to raise their own protective spells.

The sky above the ruins of Longtan Mountain twisted violently once again. Before the spiritual energy storm could subside, two incredibly fast black lights fled northeastward amidst the billowing dust.

A vast expanse of blue water surged in the sky, and a mighty river appeared out of nowhere.

Above the water, a young Taoist priest with a resolute face, dressed in a light blue robe, stood with his hands at his sides.

Seeing the demonic cultivator flee, he exchanged a glance with the two Golden Core cultivators from Xuan Yuan Sect and Xuan Jian Mountain, and then nodded.

At this moment, Master Mingxin of Huadu Temple and True Man Yinyu, a Golden Core cultivator from Sheyang Sect, had also arrived.

Apart from Dongyuan Sect and Lingfu Sect, all the Golden Core cultivators from the other four major sects arrived.

"The movements of the Demon Ruins are unclear. Fellow Daoist Li, Master Mingxin, I would like to trouble you two to stay here and clear the battlefield."

"Good."

Master Mingxin was a dignified old monk, holding a nine-ringed staff and wearing an apricot-yellow kasaya. He appeared from the air, with lotus flowers blooming with each step.

A faint golden halo appeared behind his head, radiating pure and vast Buddhist power to suppress demons and exorcise evil.

Li Luo nodded slightly: "Please."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Ya, Jiang Chaosheng, and Yin Yu Zhenren, all three Golden Core cultivators, transformed into rainbow light and chased after the two demonic cultivators.

The two Golden Core cultivators who remained looked at each other, nodded, and slowly descended.

Master Mingxin landed on a relatively intact, huge cliff. Looking at the devastation, his expression revealed a sense of pity and compassion.

"Amitabha……"

Master Li Luo's gaze swept over the ruins of Dragon Pool Mountain, his voice carrying an undeniable authority, booming out: "Fellow Daoists of the Nine Meridians, heed my command!"

"The formation has been broken, but demonic energy still remains. The demonic cultivators are cunning; there must be remnants hiding in the mountains, waiting for an opportunity to cause trouble, whether they want to destroy the remaining spiritual veins, kidnap the wounded, or even support the demon leader!"

"From this moment forward, all surviving cultivators of the Nine Meridians, regroup your forces, hold key positions, and recuperate while healing your wounds!"

"Each sect shall select Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators and above who are not seriously injured to form a cleanup team, which shall be centered on Dragon Pool Mountain and sent outwards to hunt down the remaining demons!"

"Anyone who can kill or capture the enemy alive will be richly rewarded afterward, as discussed by all nine sects!"

He paused, then looked to the other side. A steward elder dressed in the Xuan Yuan Sect's Daoist robe had quickly approached, and Zhang Guangyuan, the external affairs elder of the Dongyuan Sect, was also standing before him to receive orders.

Li Luo said, "Master Mingxin and I are guarding the central hub of the earth to prevent the demonic cultivators from launching a surprise attack or activating the teleportation array."

"The task of eliminating demonic cultivators is entrusted to the two leaders of Xuan Yuan Sect and Dong Yuan Sect, along with all fellow practitioners present here, to take charge of the overall situation."

The elders bowed and accepted the order, saying loudly, "We will obey the True Man's decree!"

Although Li Luo was not a cultivator from his own sect, he was, after all, a Golden Core cultivator, so who would dare to disobey him?

Moreover, with a formidable enemy at hand, they are now united in their hatred of the foe.

Immediately, several Foundation Establishment cultivators from different sects and families, who were still able to act, stepped forward to receive orders and quickly began to organize their manpower and divide the area.

At this moment, the spirit-revealing clouds above Dragon Pool Mountain were still circulating. The actions of these Golden Core cultivators were also intended to stabilize the morale of the Chu Kingdom's cultivation community.

The spiritual energy protection that had been shielding the disciples of the Dongyuan Sect in one corner of the ruins has now dissipated.

Song Yan and Li Yi have fully recovered, and the Dongyuan Sect is one of the few sects that survived this catastrophe intact.

Zhang Guangyuan rushed over from afar.

"Elder." Everyone bowed in greeting.

"No need, no need, what time is it?" Zhang Guangyuan looked at his disciples with concern.

"What are the casualties of our sect?"

In Zhang Guangyuan's view, these were all promising talents for the sect's future, and no mistakes could be made.

I originally thought that such a sudden calamity would probably kill several people, and even if they survived, they would inevitably suffer minor or serious injuries.

Xu Ziqing replied without hesitation: "My junior brothers and sisters are all very obedient and united."

"No casualties."

Zhang Guangyuan was taken aback, then breathed a sigh of relief with delight.

After a moment's thought, he said, "The Qi Refining disciples who are observing the ceremony should rest and wait here, and not stray too far from the two Golden Core cultivators."

"Foundation Establishment cultivators, listen to my command: each Foundation Establishment cultivator shall lead one late-stage Qi Refining disciple present at the meeting, look after each other, and wipe out the demonic cultivators."

"Xu Ziqing, Wang Renming, each of you take two. Song Yan and Li Yi will act alone, look after each other, and be flexible."

Zhang Guangyuan's mind was also very clear.

This group of demonic cultivators first made boastful claims in front of everyone, and then quickly fled in defeat. It was really strange. The demonic cultivators' purpose was still unclear, so we had to be careful.

Therefore, it would be safer for Qi Refining cultivators who are only here to observe the ceremony not to participate in the extermination.

With two Golden Core cultivators currently in charge, there shouldn't be any major trouble.

Such an opportunity is extremely rare, allowing late-stage Qi Refining cultivators who have distinguished themselves in the sect's sword-wielding competition to hone their skills alongside Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Xu Ziqing and Wang Renming were of the same generation. One was the sect leader's disciple, and the other was the senior disciple of the younger generation. He trusted these two the most.

Song Yan and Li Yi are special cases; they are the two earliest Foundation Establishment cultivators among the new generation of disciples.

With a relatively weak foundation, acting alone is actually safer and more flexible within a certain range.

"Yes, elder."

Everyone took orders one after another.

"Han Yuan, your injuries haven't fully healed yet, so you shouldn't participate in the pursuit for now. Stay here and take care of your junior brothers and sisters, and make sure nothing goes wrong."

Although Han Yuan felt regret, the elder's order was indeed the most appropriate.

Just as he was about to respond, he saw Shao Sichao suddenly raise his hand.

"Elder Zhang, why don't you let me stay here and look after my fellow disciples?"

He looked somewhat sullen: "I am timid by nature and usually dare not fight with others. I am afraid that I have held back my senior brothers and sisters."

Han Yuan's eyes lit up as he looked at Shao Sichao with a hint of gratitude.

"okay."

Zhang Guangyuan nodded.

"Thank you for your kindness, Elder."

The group formed small teams and prepared to join the extermination of the demonic cultivators.

"Xiao Ju, just wait here and follow Uncle Shao's instructions."

"Disciple, obey."

Xiao Ju naturally wanted to follow her master in pursuit of the demonic cultivators, but the situation was urgent and not something to be taken lightly. Her own cultivation level was still far from sufficient, and she was afraid of causing trouble for her master, so she obediently nodded.

"Xiao He, come with me."

Snake Baby darted away from Xiao Ju and disappeared into Song Yan's sleeve.

Everyone knows that Song Yan has a small snake spirit pet, which is said to be quite powerful.

Although the number of cultivators from Dongyuan Sect who participated in the extermination of demonic cultivators was not large, every single one of them, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was a formidable opponent.

Leaving aside the five team leaders, which of the new generation disciples, Song Yan and Li Yi, is easy to deal with?

Among the Qi Refining cultivators, Han Yuan and Yuwen Yao are already quite powerful, and Xiang Zhaoling is even more unpredictable. At least with the protection of Foundation Establishment cultivators, they have no problem protecting themselves.

With a leader in mind and a common enemy, the cultivators of the Nine Meridians in the ruins of Dragon Pool Mountain are now moving with extreme speed.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, teams were quickly assembled.

The surviving independent cultivators also took refuge with Jiang Ming, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Lanxi Cave.

Countless beams of light and streaks of light emerged from the ruins of Longtan Mountain and spread outwards to the surrounding forests and valleys.

After roughly determining the direction, Song Yan flew eastward.

He vaguely remembered that Ke Huai and that young master of the Yang family had left in this direction.

Isn't this the Yang clan's territory?

(End of this chapter)